Playing with Fire
by CarlosTWD
Summary: Michael Tivian hasn't seen his sister Lori in fifteen years. It's been a month since the Outbreak begin. How will his presence affect the story?
1. Chapter 1

**Playing with Fire**

**Chapter 1**

It's been about a month since everything started. The napalm dropping in Atlanta. The military wanted to kill every one of us. I still didn't understand it, but they did it. There was nothing we could do about it. The military was either overrun or they just didn't give a shit. I've been hiding out in a storage locker for the whole time. I haven't come across anyone in about three weeks. I felt like the only one left. Once it all started, I thought about calling my family. But it turns out I didn't even have their numbers. In fact, I haven't even seen my sister Lori in fifteen years. I ran away, me being three years older than her. I was eighteen. I was tired of my parents' bullshit. They let me run loose, didn't try to stop me. They knew I wasn't going to come back. And I never did. I started pretty badly, but I eventually made my way back up.

The whole infection thing didn't really phase me. I felt empty enough, I didn't think anything else could hit me. I was alone, broken. I had nobody to go to, nobody to search for. Now that everything happened, I wanted to see my family again. I hadn't even left Georgia since the time I ran away. I don't even know if my family is still alive. My sister. My parents. My sister was really one of the only people in the world that I actually cared about. Sure, I was selfish but I didn't want to be selfish when I was around Lori. She was the sweetest sister anyone could ever have. And I left her. I made myself feel like that.

My parents loved Lori. I was just the older problem child. I never got along with my parents, I even hated them... but now, no. I don't. I miss them. I cleared my throat, observing the surveillance cameras that were pointed at the walkers roaming around outside. This wasn't anything new to me. I thought about clearing them out and burning the bodies, but I decided that that was work for another day. Then again, more could show up and increase the numbers. I was surprised that the damn surveillance cameras still worked. I'm an engineer. Or was. I was pretty handy with a wrench too, I took some classes to be a mechanic, but I thought it wasn't for me. Wasn't a job that I'd have fun doing. I still am damn good at being a mechanic. Being an engineer made more sense for me.

I scratched the back of my head, felt my facial hair. I thought about shaving, but I didn't really have the resources to do that now. I thought about scissors, but it wouldn't work unless I wanted to cut open my cheek. I looked around, grabbing a machete and I walked over to the door, opening it and looked to see about a dozen or two dozen walkers roaming around the outside. This was a different exit then I was looking at on the cameras.

"Don't you assholes ever go away!?" I bellowed, running down the stairs and sliced the head of a walker. I watched it fall as blood spilled out of its skull. I killed the rest of them, sighing. I fell to my knees. My blue and black flannel was bloody. This wasn't the first time I was covered in blood. The clearing out was a messy job. I rubbed my forehead, and suddenly heard numerous shots in the air. I jumped up. This was the first time I've heard human activity. It wasn't a lurker who was popping off those rounds. I grabbed my machete and started running towards the gunshots that rang through the air. It was probably another person going into Atlanta, hoping to find food and shelter. I learned that the hard way. I had a shotgun and a pistol inside the storage locker, but I decided to leave it behind. I didn't wanna waste my bullets on this asshole attracting walkers. I leaned against the wall, looking to see a man with a police uniform run into an alley with an asian man with a ball cap. I thought about chasing after them, but it probably wasn't the safest option. I wasn't going to rob them or anything like that. I was happy to see another human face. I treaded behind them, making sure I wasn't seen. I saw the walkers advancing on me, and pulled a walker behind the wall, sticking the machete in its brain. They climbed up the ladder, and I ran to the ladder - climbing up it. They didn't see me because they reached to the roof.

"Where the hell are you two going?" I muttered. I reached to the roof and they weren't there. I heard a hatch close, which is probably where they weren't. Before I went in there, I looked around to see if there was any supplies on the roof. There was a few broken off pipes and stuff like that, but nothing worth taking. I ran to the hatch, opening it and then crawled inside, quietly shutting the hatch. I climbed down the ladder, and heard voices. I ducked behind a cargo box and heard a woman talking, "We're dead because of this stupid asshole!"

"Andrea, I said back the hell off! Well, pull the trigger." A man said. They had a few weapons, weapons which I need. I could either sneak what I needed and go, or I could take by force. I don't think that'd be the smartest idea.

"We're dead... all of us... because of you."

"I don't understand." The man in the police uniform said.

"Look, you wanna know what the key of scavenging is? Surviving! You wanna know what the key of surviving is? Sneaking in and out, not shooting up the streets like its the OK corral!" The man who talked before, said. I quickly jumped to the other side of the cargo box since they passed me. They were looking at roll up doors which walkers were pounding against.

"Every geek from miles heard you popping off rounds!" The black man told him.

"And you just rang the dinner bell." The woman said. They then heard gunshots, "Son of a bitch! Is that Dixon!?" They ran up the stairs and I knew this was my chance.


	2. Chapter 2

**Playing with Fire**

**Chapter 2**

As the group was now distracted by the man firing gunshots on the roof, this was my chance to siphon whatever supplies they had, and fast. They might not have everything all squared away soon, so he would need to move fast. I searched the shelves, pretty much everything. I found a few bullets for a pistol which I fortunately had. There wasn't any food, which I surely needed. I checked how many bullets were left in my pistol, and I remembered I left a few rounds back at my "sanctuary". I cursed under my breath and then stuffed the bullets I found into my pockets. I kept looking until I heard people walking back down the stairs.

"Shit." I muttered, they were running down the stairs and I definitely wasn't going to be able to make it to the way I came in from without being spotted. I had only one choice, and it was something I didn't like to do. A blonde woman came out of the door first, I jumped in front of her and used her as a meat shield. I cocked my gun to her head.

"Hey! Stay where you are! That asshole firing all those rounds up there still?" I asked, first. That guy was going to draw attention towards this store. This plan to steal their supplies already went to shit.

"Yes. Hey, relax. Nobody has to get hurt." The man in the sheriff uniform said. There was him, the asian kid with the ballcap and the latino guy, and of course the woman I held hostage.

"Anyone else with you?" I asked. The sheriff replied, "Yes. A man named T-Dog, he's up there though. Why are you doing this?"

"I was hoping to be gone before y'all got back. And I see that's not an option now. What you're gonna do is... give me all your weapons, and any food that you have and then I'll be on your merry way. We can start with you kicking your guns over. What about you, princess? You got a gun on you?" I asked.

"Go to hell." The woman retorted. I chuckled, "That's not that far of a trip."

"Come on, man. This is low. We're trying to survive just like you. We came here to get supplies. Let her go, man!" The latino man said.

"I don't think so! You guys obviously don't know how it is in the city. You don't have a damn clue." I warned. "Now! GUNS. KICK THEM OVER." The sheriff complied, holding his hands up while holding his Colt Python in his left hand, he dropped it onto the ground and kicked it over.

"Do as he says." He nodded.

"Alright." The latino nodded, dropping his pistol and then kicking it over.

"You too, kid." I ordered. The asian boy shook his head, "I don't have one."

"You didn't answer my question. Where's your gun?" I said to the woman I was holding hostage. I clicked my tongue, "Nevermind. Found it. Thanks." I grabbed the pistol that was holstered to her waist.

"Don't touch me." She growled. I sighed, "I didn't touch you. I touched your gun. Calm down. Alright. Everyone. You follow me and I'll kill you. You understand!?" I warned, pushing the woman forward. I grabbed the weapons off the ground and then ran off, from the way I came.

_Rick POV_

"We're going after him, right!?" Andrea bellowed. I sighed, "He wasn't going to hurt anyone. Let him go."

"Are you kidding me!? He pointed a gun to my head and he walks off with all of our GUNS!? Are you kidding me!?" Andrea growled. "Why are we even listening to this asshole? He shows up with a badge and a gun and we all follow his orders!? Times have changed."

"Once we get out of here, there's a bag of guns left in the street. It has plenty of guns. Gonna miss that Python, though." I sighed.

"Yeah, if that dickbag hasn't already taken that. You left in the street!? You're dumber than I thought."

"Enough! He probably got eaten on the way out, this place is surrounded." Morales inquired.

"Surrounded!? You see him - running away!? Let's get the hell out of here now!" Andrea yelled.

"We don't have a vehicle. The camp's that way. That way is flooded with walkers. You gonna run through all those walkers? No? Didn't think so. Stick to the plan. Wait for an opening."

_Mike POV_

"Once we get out of here, there's a bag of guns left in the street. It has plenty of guns. Gonna miss that Python, though." The sheriff said.

I kept running, slashing walkers as I ran by. I didn't like holding people hostage, not like that. Those people seemed like good people, and now I took away all their guns. I felt horrible, but it was done. There was no going back. I kept running till I reached my place again and I caught my breath. I walked over to the cabinet and stored the newly acquired guns in there. I thought about what he said about the guns into the street. You can never have enough guns. He said it was in the street. I had to figure out which street. I grabbed a local map and quickly ran outside to see where the walkers were gathering. I ran back inside and checked it out. After a few minutes of moving my finger along the map, desperately trying to find somewhere where I could find the bag of guns he talked about, I heard a gun cock and I felt it touch the back of my neck.

"Turn around." The sheriff ordered. I did as he said and I began to talk, "Now, look-" He hit me with the butt of the rifle he was holding and I blacked out.

I woke up... my jaw feeling out of place. It was sore, probably from that asshole knocking me out. My hands were tied to some sort of chair. The woman I held hostage was pointing the pistol she had before (they must have found the storage locker) and was pointing it at me.

"You are a sight for sore eyes. Or jaws in my case." I joked.

"Very funny. You're lucky we didn't leave you behind to die." She said.

"Then why didn't you?" I asked. "It wasn't your call, was it? It was Sheriff's. He chose to not leave me for dead. You could shoot me if you wanted to, right now. Why don't you?"

"You wanna die or something?" She asked.

"Do I wanna die? Someday. What's your name?"

"Really?"

"I'm Michael. And you are?"

"Andrea." She scoffed. I smiled, "Was that so hard? Where's Sheriff? I wanna thank him for saving my life."

"He and Glenn are trying to get us out of here." Andrea said.

"Huh? Us? I'm going with you?"

"I don't think so. You can stay here. Wherever you were at, if Rick lets you live."

"Rick? Is that his name? He's a nice guy."

"I'm down here guarding you until we leave."

"Admit it. You wouldn't have it any other way." I chuckled. Andrea rolled her eyes, pointing her gun at my head. I laughed, "Oooh.. threatening. Although, you might want to turn the safety off." Andrea scratched the back of her head and then took off the safety and cocked the gun.

"Now I'm scared."

"T-Dog, we've gotta go!" Morales yelled.


End file.
